Kahuna -- Nice, thoughtful post on a very controversial topic. I've been fortunate that I haven't lost anyone to crime. I have been severely injured and assaulted in two separate crimes. In one, the culprit was never caught. In the other, the police did not give the SOB his Miranda rights (how does anyone not do that today???).

In the first assault, it was a dumb kid. I would have liked to have seen him get help rather than punishment. He was young enough to have a chance to turn his life around. In the second, I probably would have killed him myself if I'd been given the opportunity but would not have wanted the State to do it for me.